NATO Operation Strikeback - 1957

NATO Operation Strikeback - 1957

I am doing some research on Operation Strikeback, a NATO naval exercise that took place in September 1957.

I do not have access to a major research library but I have determiend that it involved over 150 warships fro the United Sates, Britain, France, Canada,
Norway, and the Netherlands, whch included the carriers USS Saratoga, USS Forrestal, USS Tarawa, USS Wasp, USS
Intrepid, USS Essex, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Eagle, and HMS Bulwark, as well as the battleships USS Wisconsin
and USS Iowa, plus the nuclear-powered submarines Nautilus and Seawolf.

By using the U.S. Navy's Dictionary of American Fighting Ships (DANFS), I have compiled what I belive to be a fairly accurate list of U.S.
ships and carrier air groups.

However, there may be other U.S. warships that I have not been able to identify.

Also, I cannot determine what air squadrons or aircraft tyoes were based onboard the carrier USS Essex (CVA-9) which, according to the DANFS, served
as an anti-submarine aircraft carrier during Operation Strikeback. I do know that Air Anti-submarine Squadron 36 (VS-36) did fly off the Essex because
they lost two aircraft during a search-and-rescue (SAR) mission.

I am having trouble with idenifying non-American naval vessels that participated in Operation Strikeback.

UK Royal Navy: HMS Gambia (cruiser)

Also, I need to verify that the following RN naval air squadron were onbaord these carriers:

marcd30319 said:

Also, I cannot determine what air squadrons or aircraft tyoes were based onboard the carrier USS Essex (CVA-9) which, according to the DANFS, served as an
anti-submarine aircraft carrier during Operation Strikeback. I do know that Air Anti-submarine Squadron 36 (VS-36) did fly off the Essex because they lost
two aircraft during a search-and-rescue (SAR) mission.

Good question on Essex's air wing...

She operated with a standard fighter/attack wing on both her July 16, 1956 to January 26, 1957 Western Pacific {CVG-11} and February 2, 1958 to November 17,
1958 Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Western Pacific {ATG-201} cruises.
http://navysite.de/cv/cv9deploy.htm

However, I may have a clue. From http://www.ussessexcv9.org/Sea_Stories.htm, comes
this:
"September 24, 1957 - Anti submarine squadron VS-36 had been on many cruises that year aboard the USS Valley Forge, and the USS Essex. The Commander was
Captain Fredrick W. Oliver, from Pensacola Florida. On September 24, 1957, the USS Essex with VS-36, along with the USS Intrepid, USS Forestall, USS Saratoga
and HMS Arc Royal were participating with NATO forces in operation 'Strike Back' with the USS Saratoga serving as flagship. Operation Strike Back was
taking place above the Arctic Circle, off the coast of Norway. In the early hours of that date the Saratoga was recovering aircraft when one of their F4D
Skyray in the landing pattern crashed into the sea. The airborne Saratoga aircraft were joined by aircraft from the other vessels in search and rescue effort.
S2F-2 aircraft with a crew of four from the VS-36 Squadron aboard the Essex joined in the search. Two of the S2F's collided in mid-air and crashed into the
sea. An extensive search for the missing ensued. Press releases reported that 11 airmen were feared missing. The New York Times reported the New York area
missing as the son of Admiral Mack, and Eugene McAuliffe, both from Brooklyn. The bodies recovered from the S2F crash site could not be identified so the
policy for a group burial was followed."

This indicates that perhaps a major part of (or the entire) air wing of Valley Forge operated from Essex in this exercise.

As the Navysite. de does not have deployment data on Valley Forge, we must look elsewhere.

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/carriers/histories/cv45-valleyforge/cv45-valleyforge.html has the following on VF:
"Carrying out training operations out of Guantanamo Bay in 1957, Valley Forge accomplished a naval "first" in October, when she embarked a
Marine detachment and twin-engined HR2S-1 Mojave helicopters. Experimenting with the new concept of "vertical envelopment," Valley Forge's
helicopters air-lifted the marines to the beachhead and then returned them to the ship in history's first ship-based air assault exercise."

Thus, it appears that Valley Forge lent her air wing to Essex, and embarked Marines and Marine helicopters to develop tactics for LPH operations.

Find out what squadrons/aircraft Valley Forge had just before this, and your Essex mystery is solved.

Oh yes, Intrepid's history on Navysite.de says this:
"Boasting a reinforced angle flight deck and a mirror landing system, INTREPID departed the United States in September 1957 for NATO's Operation
Strikeback, the largest peacetime naval exercise up to that time in history."

“…Science as it is really practiced, caught up in the turmoil of personalities, with Truth always out of reach, and truths too often limping along, wounded in the turf wars and drive-bys of gangs of Ph.D.-totin’ grant-heads.”
Orson Scott Card: “Future on Ice”

HS-3 from Weeksville NAF was deployed on the Essex during Strikeback. I was a sonar operator with the squadron. We were the only HS outfit deployed with the
Essex.

I was in the ready room during the fatal midair. One of the S2F crew members was playing cards and traded with one of those killed. He took it pretty hard.
I don't know his name, but I think he was a radar operator.

Another incident occured when the Forestal made a sudden turn in front of a cruiser steaming off our starboard bow. I was on the flight deck tending my chocks
when the captain or air officer appeared on deck and made an off-color question about what the Forestal was doing. I remember how impressed I was with the
reaction of the cruiser and how well the crew was following direction rules during the incident. Never did find out what the Forestal was doing, but then I
was just an SO1 and not ship's company.

It was not at all typical of what we expected from the ocean. It was incredibly calm off Norway. It was much worse during our Atlantic crossing.

You might want to check out a book called "Battle for the Fjords" by Eric Grove. It deals with NATO plans for the defence of Norway and the exercises
that flowed from those plans. It might have bits on Strikeback.

“…Science as it is really practiced, caught up in the turmoil of personalities, with Truth always out of reach, and truths too often limping along, wounded in the turf wars and drive-bys of gangs of Ph.D.-totin’ grant-heads.”
Orson Scott Card: “Future on Ice”